Operating-gearing for washing-machines.



G. MORE.

OPERATING GEARING FOR WASHINGMACHINES. APPLlcATloN FILED MAY25,1916.

tf Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

GLENN IMORE, OF JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE BLACKSTNE MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, 0F JAMESTOWN, NEV YORK, A CORORATON OF NEW YORK.

OPERATING-GEARING .FOR W'ASHING-llIACl-IINES.

Specification of Letters atent.

Patented Apr.. 17, 1917.

Application led Hay 25, 1916. Serial No. 99,714.

To all whom t may concern."

13e it known that 1, GLENN Mona, a citizen'of the United States, and resident of Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New vYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in @perating-Gearing for lVashing-lvlachines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in operating mechanism for washing machines and the like and consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, efficient and an easily actuated operating mechanism of the kind described wherein a part of said mechanism is mounted on a iived support (in this case the stationary top wall of a washing machine tub) and the remainder of said mechanism is mounted on an auxiliary support (in this case the tub lid). The two parts of the gearing are carried by bracket plates having a hinged connection and said parts are so associated that the auxiliary support may be moved from its normal horizontally closed position into a substantially vertical open position and vice versa without disturbing their operative relation.

.1n the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a view in side elevation of a washing machine embodying my improved operating mechanism.

Fig. 2 represents a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 represents a view similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but with the parts in a changed relation.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 represent detail sectional views on an enlarged scale. The planes of said sections being indicated by the lines 4-4, 5 5 and G-G of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 represents a top plan view of a bracket plate forming a part of my invention and which is attached to the auxiliary support.

Fig. S represents a top plan view of the bracket plate which is attached to the fixed support.

Referring new to that embodiment of -my invention as illustrated in the drawings, washing machine which is mounted upon upright supporting legs 11 in the usual 1nanner. 12 indicates the stationary top wall of the tub body and 13 indicates the lid which is hinged along one edge 13 to said top wall in a manner soon to appear. The top wall 12 and the hinged lid 13 provide the supports for the operating mechanism.

141- indicates a normally' 11p/right operating shaft which extends through the lid 13 and which is adapted for an alternating rotary movement. This shaft is located concentrically with respect to the tub body 10 and to that end of said shaft normally within the tub is attached a stirrer or dolly head lila. rllhe shaft 111 has bearing intermediate its ends in alined bearing sleeves 16 and 17 made integral with a bracket platelS fixed to the top surface of the lid The bearing sleeve 16 depends from said bracket and is arranged in a suitable aperture provided therefor in the tub lid and the bea ring sleeve 17 is formed at the top end of an upright standard 18L rising from the bracket 18. A downwardly facing bevel pinion 19 is fixed to top end of the shaft let which projects beyond said bearing sleeve 17.

20 indicates a short horizontally arranged rock shaft which has bearing in one end in the bottom of the standard 18a and at its other end in a boss 21 rising from an eXtension Q2 of the bracket plate 18. This shaft 20 extends radiallyT with respect to the operating shaft 14 and parallel with the lateral edge 13EL of the lid 13. Fixed to said shaft 20 intermediate its bearings is a normally upright prime mover lever which is indicated as a whole by the numeral 28. Said lever has a normally upright socket member 24 adapted to receive an operating hand lever 25 and made integral with said socket member intermediate its-ends is a segmental bevel 0fear Q6 which meshes with the gear 19 on the top end ofthe shaft 14.

The bracket plate 18 has a flat body part Q7 'arranged at right angles to the extension 22, which projects laterally toward and beyond the edge 13" of the tub lid so as to overlap the adjacent part of the stationary1 top wall 12 of the tub where it is provided with axially alined horizontally disposed spaced bearing1 sleeves E28 and 29. The anis accompanying 10 indicates the tub body of a.

of said sleeves is arranged parallel to the lateral edge 13 of the tub lid 13 and shaft 2O before mentioned and in a plane slightly above the top surface of the stationary top wall 12. The bearing sleeves 28 and 29 are adapted for operative engagement with associated bearing members made integral with a second bearing bracket 30 attached to the stationary top wall 12 of the tub body in a manner and for a purpose soon to apear.

31 indicates an upwardly and inwardly projecting bearing standard made integral with the sleeve 28 before mentioned. Said standard carries a horizontal stud 32 disposed in a plane parallel to the rock shaft 20. Loosely mounted on said stud is a relatively large spur gear 33 which has a crank pin opening 34 (see Fig. A link or pitman 35 having a stud adapted to engage in said opening, operatively connects said gear 33 with a stud 36 formed on the socket member 24'of the prime mover lever intermediate its top and bottom ends.

The bracket plate 30 fixed to the lstationary top wall 12 of the tub comprises an elongated flat body ypart which :provides for the attachment to ther stationary top wall 12 of the tub and on one end of the body art is formed an upright lug or standard 37D carrying a horizontal stud 37a. Said bracket plate is also provided with an elongated bearing sleeve 38 arranged coaxially with the stud 37a. vThe inner end of said sleeve is spaced a suitable distance from the lug or standard 37 and is adapted to bear in the sleeve 28 of the bracket 18 while the bearing sleeve 29 of said bracket is adapted to bear upon the stud 37 a of the standard 37 on the bracket 30. An annular shoulder 38a is formed on the bearing sleeve 38 near its inner end, which abuts against and pre* vents displacement of the sleeve 28 of the bracket plate 18 when the operating mech anism as a whole is assembled.

40 indicates a shaft which is journaled in the bearing sleeve 38. Fixed to the inner end of said shaft and meshing with the gear 33 before mentioned is a spur pinion 41 and to the opposite or outer end of said shaft is fixed a balance wheel 42.

Made integral with the bearing sleeve 28 of the bracket plate 18 is a laterally projecting arcuate flange 28a which when the operating mechanism as a whole is assembled, provides a cover or guard for the gear pinion 41 on the shaftl 42. The bearing sleeve 29 of the bracket plate 18 is provided with a shoulder 29a which is adapted to engage with a similar shoulder 37b formed on the upright standard 37 when the tub lid 13 has been swung about its hinged connection before mentioned into a substantially vertical open position.

The operation of my improved gearing is as follows: With the requisite amount of clothing and water in the tub, the lid 13 is locked in its horizontal closed position. |The operator then grasps the handle 25 of the prime mover lever and imparts a back and forth rocking movement thereto about an axis defined by the rock shaft 20. This back and forth rocking movement of the lever 24 as a whole, through the operative connection between the segmental gear 26 of said lever and the bevel pinion. 19 at the top of the operating shaft 14, will impart an alternating rotary iovement to said shaft and of course to the dolly 142L on said shaft within the tub. rlhis movement of the dolly 14L on said shaft will cause the clothing to be cleansed in the manner well known. The rocking movement of the prime mover lever 23 not only imparts the proper movement to the dolly shaft 14 as before described, but also imparts a continuous rotary movement to the gear 33 through the medium of the link 35.

lThis continuous rotary motion of the gear i 33 is transmitted to the gear 41 on the shaft 40 in an opposite direction and at an increased rate of speed, owing to the dierence in size between said gears 33 and 41. rlhis rotation at high speed of the shaft 40 and of course the fly wheel 42 acts to materially reduce the effort on the part of the operator to impart the proper movement to the prime mover 23 said wheel also acting to balance the operation of the other moving parts.

Should it be desired to inspect the clothing within the tub or to remove said clothing, the operator unlocks the tub lid 13 in the usual manner and lifts or swings said lid 13 into its open vertical position about the axis of the shaft 40 as a center until the shoulder 29nv engages the lug 37b on the bracket 30 and without producing a disconnection between any of the parts forming my improved operating mechanism.

The engagement of the shoulder 29a with the lug 37b holds the tub lid in its substantially vertical open position in a plane slightly inclined to the rear of the vertical plane of the shaft 40. lVhen in this position the tub lid cannot accidentally return to its normal horizontal closed position.

My improved gearing possesses many advantages as will be apparent to those familiar with the art. The hinged connection between the tub lid 13 and the stationary top wall 12 of the tub is provided for by the bracket plates 18 Vand 30 respectively which are strong enough to resist any strain imposed upon them7 thus insuring proper operative connection betweenl the various parts mounted on said bracket plates at all times. Another advantage is that the prime mover lever 23 is mounted in a position adjacent the center of gravity of the washing machine as a whole, thus eliminating the tipping over tendency of the tub body when imparting either a back or forth Inovement to said lever.

`When the tub lid 13 is swung into its open position the gear will roll or travel around the gear 40 on the shaft l1 remaining in mesh with said gear at all times, no matteil what the'angular inclination of said tub lid is.

lli/*lille in describing my invention I have referred to certain details of mechanical construction and arrangements of parts, l do not wish to be limited. thereto except as mav be pointed out in the appended claims.

i claim as my invention:

l. ln combination a support, an auxiliary support, a bracket plate on said support, a

second bracket plate on said auxiliary support, .means operatively connecting said bracket plates providing a hinged connection between said supports, an alternating' rotary operating shaft journaled in the bracket on said auxiliary support, a gear on .aid operating` shaft, a fly-wheel shaft and a fly wheel mounted upon the bracket plate on said main support, said fly Wheel shaft having its axis of rotation coincident with the axis of the hinged connection between said supports, a large gear mounted upon the bracket plate on said auxiliary support and operatively connected to said fly Wheel shaft, a lever mounted on said bracket plate on the auxiliary support, said lever having a segmental rack meshing with the gear on said operating shaft, and means connecting said lever to said large gear adapted for imparting a continuous rotary movement thereto.

2. ln combination a fixed support, a movable support, a bracket plate on said fixed support, a second bracket plate on said movable support, means operatively connecting said bracket plates providing a hinged connection between said supports, an alternate ing rotary operating shaft journaled in the bracket on said movable support,V a fly wheel shaft carried by the bracket plate on said fixed support, a rocking prime mover lever journaled on the bracket plate on said movable support, closely adjacent the operating shaft, means connecting said prime mover lever with said operating shaft, and means operatively connecting said prime mover lever to said fly-wheel shaft, said means being adapted to impart a continuous rotary movement thereto, and includes a high speed gearing.

8. ln combination a main or xed s-upport, an auxiliary or movable support, a bracket plate on each support, said bracket plates having interacting bearing members providing a hinged connection between said supports, an operating shaft journaled in said bracket on the movable support, a bevel pinion xed to said shaft, a large gear mounted on the last mentioned bracket plate, a fiy-wheel shaft and a fly-wheel thereon carried by the bracket plate on said fixed support, said fly wheel shaft having its axis of rotation coincident with the axis of the hinged connection between said supports and operatively connected to said large gear wheel, a lever mounted on the bracket plate on said movable support, said lever including a bevel gear segment which meshes with the bevel pinion on said operating shaft and .means connecting said lever to said large gear, said lever through its connections imparting an alternating rotary movenient to said operating shaft and a continuous rotary movement to said large gear.

a. ln combination, a main support, an auxiliary support associated therewith, a bracket plate having horizontally disposed bearing lugs, one of which is tubular fixed to said main support, a second bracket plate fixed to said auxiliary support, said second bracket plate having laterally extending arms adapted for pivotal engagement with the bearing lugs on the rst named bracket plate and providing a hinged connection between said supports, a fly-wheel shaft, carried by the bracket plate on said main support, a gear pinion on said fiy wheel shaft, an upright alternating rotary operating shaft journaled in the bracket plate on said auxiliary support, a large gear mounted on said last mentioned bracket plate and meshing with the gear pinion on the fly wheel shaft, a rocking lever mounted on o-ne of said bracket plates, means operatively connecting' said lever to said operating shaft, and means opera-tively connecting' the large gear on the bracket plate on said auxiliary support with said operating lever, said means being constructed to translate the rocking movement of said lever into a continuous rotary motion of said large gear.

5. ln combination a main support, an auxiliary support, a bracket plate fixed to said main support and having upright bearing standards provided with alined bearing studs, one of which is tubular, a second bracket plate xed to said auxiliary support and having laterally extending arms adapted for pivotal engagement with the alined studs'of the first mentioned bracket plate and providing a. hinged connection between said supports, a fly Wheel shaft mounted on the first mentioned bracket plate in axial alinement with the bearing studs thereon, a gear and a :fly wheel on said shaft, an upright operating shaft journaled in the bracket plate on said auxiliary support, a bevel pinion on the top end of said operating shaft, a comparatively large gear also journaled on said bracket plate and meshing with the gear on said fly wheel shaft, a rocking lever having a bevel gear segment meshing with the gear on said operating shaft, and a link operatively connecting said lever with said large gear.

6. In combination a main support, an auX- iliary support, a bracket plate lixed to said main support and having horizontally disposed alined bearing studs, one of Which is tubular, a second bracket plate fixed to the auxiliary support, said second bracket plate including a relatively flat base having laterally projecting bearing sleeves adapted for pivotal engagement with the alined studs of the first named bracket plate and pr0- viding a hinged connection between said supports, a continuously rotary shaft journaled in the tubular bearing stud on said rst named bracket, a fly-Wheel on one end of said shaft, a spur pinion on the other end of said shaft, a large gear ournaled on the stud of an upright standard made integral With the bracket plate on said auxiliary support, said bracket plate also being provided v'vith vertically alined bearing sleeves, an upright operating shaft journaled in said vertically alined bearing sleeves, a bevel pinion on the top end of said operating shaft, a horizontally disposed rock shaft journaled in the bracket plate on said anxiliary support, a prime mover lever Xed to said rock shaft, said lever 'having a bevel May, A. n. 1916.

GLENN MORE.

Witnesses:

MAE L. LARsEN, FLORENCE SUNDERLAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

